pd2: Claire J. Found Poem

A New Friend

Whispering to the red head

the dark-haired girl quickly scooted as I smiled.

I wasn't going to be sitting next to her.

Then came a tap on my shoulder

It was a girl with blonde hair 

motioning for me to join her.

She told me her name was Jennifer

she knew that I was Cuban.

Did everyone know about me already?



Jennifer asked if I had any classes with her
as she got out her schedule out
and I did the same.



But as she compared them both
I looked at the rows of green cornstalks
only thinking about Puerto Mijares and Ivette.

Found poem inspired by Christina Diaz Gonzalez's "The Red Umbrella"

              This scene when Betty (the dark-haired girl) scoots over to the aisle side of the seat is showing how humans treat others differently. When Jennifer lets Lucia sit next to her, though, shows empathy and tolerance. Jennifer letting Lucia sit next to her is showing tolerance because she could've done the same thing Betty did. Yet, Jennifer didn't. She wanted to be kind to the new student, because Jennifer knew what it was like. She does say later in the book that Betty was not nice to her or anyone. Also, it shows tolerance because Jennifer tolerated with sitting with Lucia. The found poem communicates an important lesson about empathy and tolerance. This is because Lucia had no friends in America, but she then finds Jennifer, who later in the story becomes closer friends with Lucia. Because of Jennifer showing empathy and tolerance towards Lucia, she has made Lucia's experience in America better, and helped Lucia with the fact that her parents and friends were in Cuba. If people like Jennifer help others like Lucia, then it would make people's lives easier and happier. Those were reasons Jennifer was showing tolerance and empathy and how the poem communicates and important lesson about empathy and tolerance.